The prosecutor in a military tribunal has demanded the death penalty for Tunisia's former dictator over his role in the deaths of protesters during the popular uprising that overthrew him a year ago.

Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia and is being tried in absentia by both military and civilian courts in Tunisia for alleged crimes committed during his 23-year, iron-fisted rule of the North African country.

Ben Ali is currently on trial for ordering soldiers to open fire on protesters in the four southern towns of Thala, Kasserine, Kairouan and Tajerouine during the early weeks of the month-long uprising that began in December 2010. At least 338 people died in the uprising and another 2,147 were wounded.

The revolution in Tunisia sparked a wave of pro-democracy movements across the Middle East and North Africa that overthrew several governments and became known as the Arab Spring.